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Ten NFL rookies who are diamonds in the rough

Desmond King is one of the NFL rookies set that is a diamond in the rough

Desmond King, defensive back, Los Angeles Chargers

A four-year starter at cornerback during his college career at Iowa, King could be making a transition to safety at the NFL level for the Chargers. But it’s not going to be a laborious learning process for the hard-hitting defensive back, who we actually projected as an impact player at the safety position well before the draft.

King is extremely physical at the line of scrimmage, has the quickness to cover slot receivers as a nickel corner and the pure instincts to become a ball hawk on the back end. After failing to intercept a single pass as a freshman, he went on to nab 14 during his final three years for the Hawkeyes, including eight as a junior in 2015.

So how did he fall to the fifth round? That’s a question we still don’t have a real good answer for, though a lack of elite size and speed likely had a lot to do with his slide. Regardless, we’ll be stunned if King isn’t a productive player right out of the gate for Los Angeles.

San Diego features an outstanding defensive front but came into the offseason needing significant help on the back end. Whether he contributes on the corner, in the slot, as a safety or as a do-it-all guy, King will be part of the team’s solution.

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